San Antonio Animal Care Services Saves Abuse Victim

Animal cruelty cases in the news are becoming more and more prevalent every day, month, and year, On August 19th, the San Antonio Animal Care Services (ACS) reported one of the most horrific incidents of animal abuse they have ever been witness to. Rosie, a five-year-old pit bull, was the victim of hydrochloric acid burns that covered the entirety of her head and face. One of her ears is completely burned off, the other is permanently mutilated, and she is now blind in both eyes.

Audra Houghton, the field operations supervisor and longtime cruelty investigator at the ACS, divulged that poor Rosie endured the pain of this incident for a minimum of two weeks before she was found at a home on the Southeast Side. Although there is an ongoing investigation, there are no current leads as to who perpetrated this heinous crime. However, Houghton and her staff plan to work toward tracking down the guilty person and gathering sufficient evidence in order to establish a prosecution through the district attorney. If found, Rosie’s abuser faces potential charges that may include torture and animal cruelty. A conviction could result in monetary fines and imprisonment for up to three years.

In the meantime, the sweet and gentle pit bull is being constantly monitored and treated by the shelter’s veterinarian. Despite Rosie’s trauma, she has found the strength to show affection and gather as much love and kindness as she can for her caretakers. She has been wagging her tail, giving everyone kisses, taking walks, and even playing with toys. The ACS is working around the clock to recover her deserved quality of life and drastically improve the condition of her injuries, as well as treat the heartworms she tested positive for. Unfortunately, her physical health must be in better shape before she can undergo surgery to restore her eyesight.

The City of San Antonio Animal Care Services turned to their Facebook page to tell Rosie’s story and plead for monetary donations that would be used to pay for the veterinary services that would give her a second chance at life. On August 21st, merely 48 hours after they utilized their social media site, the ACS posted a status update announcing that they received more than enough donations to cover the cost of Rosie’s surgery and any other treatments she may require. The pit bull is scheduled to undergo these necessary procedures during the last week of August.

The ACS’ ultimate goal for Rosie is to give her back the ability to see, eradicate the heartworms, and establish a forever home where she will be so cherished that the memories of the hardships she endured will fade away more and more every day.

The San Antonio ACS, located at 4710 State Highway 151, San Antonio, TX 78227, is continuing to accept donations, stating that numerous shelter dogs in the community could benefit from it. General donations can be made via http://www.sanantonio.gov/AnimalCare/HowYouCanHelp/Donate-GiveBack.aspx. More information can be obtained by calling the ACS at (210) 207-4738 or visiting http://www.sanantonio.gov/AnimalCare/Home.aspx. Please, if you or anyone are aware of a situation involving the mistreatment of any animal, dial 3-1-1 to report the incident and potentially save the life of an innocent, defenseless creature.

“Ignacio Sanchez Alvarez, 45, was taken into custody at the home Rosie, a pit bull who was burned with acid, was discovered on the Southeast Side, said Audra Houghton, Animal Care Services Field Operations Supervisor.”